Tag: Janmbhoomi

134,00,000,00 people are celebrating Dassehra worldwide but irony is Ram is homeless and proudly Diwali a home coming of Ram will be celebrated again without the actual home by 134,00,000,00 people worldwide. These are just few places where Dasara / Dassehra is celebrated in grand manner.

Allahabad

Moving Theatre, Durga Puja, Ramleela, Ravan’s wedding procession, Carnival lighting are just few things. Allahabad’s moving theatre play on street is unique in world. Different events of Ram’s life, Mahisasur’s battle, Lord Shiva’s marriage etc. are played by finest theatre artists on grand stage however stage is prepared upon large vehicles like truck or trolley. And stage is moving in whole city as per regulated carnival schedule. The celebration in Allahabad is hugely famous for its grand illumination of the Ram-Dal procession. The vibrant and colourful tableaux depicting the scenes from the Ramayana epic is a visual treat. Not on Ram-Dal but also Ravan’s procession is celebrated in outstanding and wonderful way. Ravan’s procession has his whole family wife Mandodari, Brother Vibhisan & Kumbhkaran and his huge army; all well dressed up, with proper makeup and with band. This is called Ravan ki Barat i.e. marriage party of Ravan. Various Streets are decorated with astonishing light on different day of navratri from day 1 till the 10th day. Ramleela show is organized by countless different organizing commissions. Also Durga Paja celebration is extensive. Around 20 to 25 places within city you can watch wonderful Durga Puja Arti with traditional mantra, dance & music.

Goa Ceremonial Celebration

The day is celebrated for the marriage of lord shiva and goddess Shakti with grand rituals. The glimpse of this grand ceremonial celebration is an absolute delight. Parvati, who is Shiva’s consort, is worshiped in the various forms of goddess Durga such as Mauli, Sateri, Shantadurga, Bhumika. So, wherever these temples are located, the festivities also take those forms and especially include decorative umbrellas locally known as the tarangas. During the nine nights, the Kotkar clan prepare the flower toran (a garland of orange marigolds and mango leaves) while the Guravs (local priests), Kumbhars (potters) and sutars (carpenters) prepare the Taranga (a decorative umbrella that is representative of a God or Goddess) and the Mahar community beats the drums (Dhol).

Navaratri, Ahmedabad

It is celebrated with utmost devotion in several temples dedicated to the Mother. Gujarat is the only state that holds a nine night dance festival ‘Rasa-Garbas’,’ Dandia ras’, perhaps the longest in the world. People flock each night to celebrate the power of Shakti. Nine nights of bustling midnight buffets, energetic garba dances and vibrantly coloured chaniya cholis, kediyus and kafni pajamas twirling to the beat of the dhol, this festive extravaganza is sure to leave a lasting impression on visitors.

Katra, Jammu and Kashmir

Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, is the Navaratra Capital of India. Devotees flock into Katra for Navratri festival. Katra glows in dazzling lights during the full nine days of Navaratri. With chants of “Jai Mata Di” filling the air, large number of people arrives here from across the country. Devotees congregate in large numbers at the holy cave dedicated to Mata Vaishnodevi at Katra in Jammu, to take part in the Navaratri festival.

Kullu, Himanchal

The first day is started with huge celebration and on this day the statue of Lord Raghunathji is installed on a beautifully designed chariot, which is graced with the presence of village gods and goddess, is pulled by ropes by the locals from its place to different sites across the Maidan. The following days are celebrated with great devotion, and many an individual takes participate in singing and dancing during the festival. The fair is fulfilled with the burning of the Lanka. On the last day of the festival, the chariot is brought by the banks of Beas River where a mass of wood grass is burnt, signifying the burning of Lanka.

Almora, Uttarakhand

This is particularly evident in the month of October as the town gears up for Dussehra celebrations. Pandals crop up all over the town in preparation for staging the Ramlila, the dramatic re-enactment of life of Rama. not just effigy of Ravana, but dozens of other effigies of demons gets burnt on the festival with plenty of crackers and lighting decorations in whole city.

Bastar – Jagdalpur, Chattisgarh

The tribals celebrate Dussehra by hailing Devi Maoli (Bastar’s native deity, the elder sister of Devi Danteshwari, family goddess of the ruling Kakatiya family) and all her sisters. Bastar Dussehra is replete with historical facts and cultural legacies. Dussehra is celebrated by the Raj family for ten days, a period where arms gifted by their family Goddess are worshipped with ardent devotion. A unique tradition is the formal handing over of the charge of the state’s management to the Diwan in the presence of the Zamindars and other noted people of Bastar region.

Kulasekarapattinam village, requires pilgrims to dress up as gods and goddesses (or animals!) of their choosing. The temple is dedicated to ferocious Goddess Kali. Devotees channel her spirit and dance in a volatile throughout the night, holding flaming clay pots in their hands. The festival culminates with a theatrical slaying, on the beach, of demon Mahishasura by the Goddess. It’s definitely on of the most astounding spectacles in India!

Madikeri (Coorge)

A perfect time to combine a visit to the cool coffee county of Coorg is during the Madikeri Dussehra celebrations. Here you can experience festivities for 10 days where they honour the Mariamma Goddess. Karaga dance marks the occasion.

A colourful, carnival-like festival celebrated amidst the serene hills of Coorg (Kodagu), Madikeri’s Dasara has a long and fascinating history that dates back to the reign of Haaleri Kings. There are four temples dedicated to Goddess Mariamma (after whom the celebration is also called Mariamma festival), each having its own unique Karaga (a ritualistic folk dance dedicated to Draupadi) that is performed during the festival.

Hyderabad

A beautiful floral festival dedicated to the Goddess Gauri, Bathukamma literally translates to ‘Mother Goddess, come alive’ in English. Celebrated across Telangana and in parts of Andhra Pradesh, the festival starts with the worship of Lord Ganesha followed by women dancing around a flower arrangement (that is made by placing seven concentric circles of wood on top of each other to resemble a temple gopuram).

Chennai

Come Dussehra, and the streets of Chennai get decked up with kolus (simple tier-wise arrangement of idols of gods and goddesses on wooden padis). While the brightly-coloured tableaux usually represent the assembly of Goddess Durga during her battle with the demon Mahishasura, it also has displays with other themes such as episodes from Ramayana and Mahabharata.